After a rocky start SimCity is proving to be the game we were promised.
Gameplay:
At its core the SimCity games have always been extremely in depth simulation games, having to control the vital resources like water and power while still keeping your citizens happy has a certain appeal that other games do not provide. SimCity Takes this to a new level by making the simulation experience more detailed. The interface of the game is very easy to understand and follow which allows for mayors to manage their cities fluidly and keep up with the demands of their citizens. The new zoning system also works quite well since when you look at how a real city functions the type of road does determine how buildings are built on it. Smaller roads don't house huge apartment or office buildings so the system seems very real. Playing with your friends and working to create a stable region is fun in its own right although sometimes it does seem like the cities don't like to communicate between each other smoothly. The fact that you always have to be online is the big downfall of the gameplay because it means that if you lose your internet connection while playing you can't quit until you regain the connection because your city won't save. Traffic can also be a problem expecially when a city gets to be higher density. Mass transit can clog up the streets if you don't have help from other cities. It would help if you had more room to place bus depots but the size of the city severely limits the amount you can place. I would have also liked to see a single player mode that allowed players to create their own regions without having to be online. Some larger city zones in a future update would be a welcome addition so players will be able to create bigger cities that will allow for a more self-sustaining city. It is also nice to see that the people in your city actually have a purpose other than to just show that there are people. They go to work and keep your city running just like real people would do. The city specializations also bring a new level of challenge to the game. If the player decides to specialize they should know exactly where to build roads and zone so they will be able to accommodate the structures for the specialization. When getting some of the later structures it can be hard to find places to put things without destroying major parts of your city
Presentation:
SimCity looks great from the look of the buildings to the environmental textures. Even on low end machines the game still runs at a decent frame rate even when there is a lot going on and the graphics don't suffer horribly. The menus are easy to access and read so you as a mayor can make the best decisions on what to place and where to place it. The buildings are diverse enough but when the cities start to get higher density you will notice a lot of repeat structures getting built in your town.
Final Verdict:
Despite its flaws SimCity is a great game that will keep you coming back for months and keep you hooked for hours on end just trying to get everything in your city to work properly. If you play with friends it offers further strategy as you try and coordinate your efforts to build a great works or just keep everyone in the region happy. The always online is a feature that will always bring this otherwise great game down.
8/10